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Feature September 2015 Issue

Everyone knows the countenance of a happy and content cat — but why are we still so flummoxed by the mechanism of purring?

Purring: The Feline Mystique

Many experts have spent considerable time trying to figure out exactly how and why cats purr — but have they come any closer to an answer?

To a cat lover, there may be nothing more comforting than a full lap of warm, purring cat — except, perhaps, another one or two nestled nearby. The louder the purr, the deeper the bliss it seems for both person and cat. Purring is the essence of the feline mystique that fascinates us, yet we do not know exactly how and why cats purr. Theories abound — but they remain inconclusive. …

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